Strangers in the Night
by Leo the Tiger
Summary: Two total strangers are trapped in an old, abandoned building, which is about to crumble, and Super Stoker is making no progress. Will our rockin' trio save the day yet again?


_**Strangers in the Night**_

Charley looked out the window of her room from her living quarters inside the Last Chance Garage. It was bright and starry, and she enjoyed the view. She didn't understand why she felt depressed lately, but she knew it nothing to do with the Biker Mice. They often brought her the bright in her dark day. Maybe she felt it was a case of loneliness. Maybe she missed Chicago. Since she sold the one Last Chance Garage to her sister in order to open one up in Wildcat City, Chicago was never the same. But at least it was safe, since Lawrence Limburger had decided to move his operations to Wildcat City (bad idea!) And since the High Chairman banished Limburger from Earth forever after his last failure, all of Plutark was gone for good. All that was left was Ronaldo Rump and his dirty deeds, or occasional attacks from Hairball and his Clawtroopers. (Cataclysm had died from trying to use Stoker's original Regenerator for his own dirty deeds when it exploded after he immediately turned it up to full power.)

Meanwhile, the Biker Mice were crusing around on their bikes as Vinnie had the radio blasting. The Mice were curious to see how many of their hits were playing ever since their rock band, the Martian Freedom Fighters, rose to the top of the charts. Lots of them were playing, but so were lots of hits from their top two competitors, Sonic JAM (Sonic the Hedgehog's band), and the SWAT Kats Band. The three had become fierce rivals, and only on rare occasions would be topped by someone else that originated from Wildcat City. You see, Wildcat City may have had a ton of marching bands, but it produced some of the hottest rock bands on the planet as well. Among the locals the Biker Mice and their competitors also rocked with included the Bengal 9 (all tigers), the Hijackers (all lions), J.R. and the Rebels (J.R. stands for John Revolution, the town's top fox performer) and David Satterfield (the town's top wolf performer) and his backup band, The Wolfpack. All these bands may have been fighting for #1 hits, but it was a friendly rivalry between them.

It had been about 10:00 p.m. when the Biker Mice heard a stranger calling for help. "That's odd," Modo commented. "What would one be doing out at a time like this?"

"Well, nothing to consider now, bros," Throttle announced. "Let's find out where the call is coming from." He turned on the radar system in his helmet. "Coordinates 15-25. It's time to rock and ride, bros, and turn loose plan 73-D."

"I don't remember that one," said Modo in confusion.

"Not surprised, bro," Throttle replied. "I'm making this one up as I go." The bros cruised on towards the unknown calling for help.

When the Mice reached coordinates 15-25 according to Throttle's radar, there was Stoker, in his superhero form of Super Stoker, struggling to get the strangers down. "Oh, hi, soldiers," he said upon noticing the Mice pull up. "These two strangers are stuck in this old abandoned building, and I can't get them out."

"How'd they get in, bro?" Vinnie called.

"According to what they said, it was Rump's goons who framed him for a crime that is really Rump's doing. Remember when he tried to steal of all the money in Leo the Patriotic Lion's account?"

"Yes," Throttle replied.

"Well, these two strangers here once testified in a case Leo was involved in against Rump. Leo won that case and awarded them a bonus cash prize. Rump sent his goons to steal that, but before they could their hands on it, I intervened. I couldn't stop Rump's goons from tying the strangers up inside this building, and now I can't get them out. Do your bikes have any weapons or anything that can get them free from these stainless steel wires my powers are no match for?"

"Sorry, but all we got in these bikes are weapons of the artillery, as Leo would call it," said Vinnie. "Since I, with Throttle and Modo, am the baddest mammajammer in the universe, I can get them out of the building. I think it's about to crumble."

The small but building sound from the building's foundations did indeed indicate it was about to collapse. Dynamite explosions helped speed up the process. Vinnie revved up his engine, launched himself in the direction of the collapsed building, and managed to rescue the strangers the old fashioned way—by whipping some tail!

Throttle and Modo, in the meantime, found the goons of Rump's responsible for the dynamite, grabbed them, and threw them towards the city jail, where they fell through the ceiling and landed in specific cells. Modo put his bionic arm to good use while Throttle used his battle gloves. The Mice and Stoker brought the strangers back to the Last Chance Garage, where they explained to Charley what was happening. Charley agreed to let the strangers sleep at the garage, and get on home the next morning.

The next morning, the strangers revealed themselves to be David Ortiz and Geoff Lontz, the drummer and bass guitarist, respectively, for the all-lion rock band known as the Hijackers. "We're ever so grateful," Geoff had said to the Biker Mice. "I didn't think we'd ever get out of that alive. I'm not used to being held for ransom. Then again, when is anybody, except for maybe Pearl Pureheart?"

"Well, with Pearl," said Charley, "Mighty Mouse will always come and save her. How much did Rump want for your release?"

"$4 billion, or our lives, whichever came first," said David. "It would've been our lives as it turned out. I don't think Rump's goons listen to him very well. The fact they dynamited the building was their own choice. No one has any sense of obedience these days unless they are in military."

"Well, being the founder of the Freedom Fighter movement," said Stoker, "I share your frustration. Fortunately, my new Regenerator is coming along strong with the mice back home. Mars is terraformed and the Catatonians can no longer bother it. Guess that's why they decided to take over Earth instead, only to realize Leo the Patriotic Lion is the driving force in this town."

"Oh, yeah," Throttle added. "Leo's the greatest. No safecracker is safe with him around."

"So, who's up for some hot dogs and root beer?" Vinnie spoke up.

"Oh, man, you're playing my song, bro!" Modo smiled.

"Then it's time to rock…" Throttle began.

"…and RIDE!" all three finished, running to their bikes as Charley boarded hers, gunning their engines, and racing to the nearest hot dog stand. David and Geoff walked on home to meet up with their lead vocalist, Lionel Hanson, and assure him they were safe and sound.

THE END

Biker Mice From Mars © Rick Ungar, Tom Tataranowicz, Tom Tataranowicz Animation, Brentwood Television Funnies, and whoever else owns the rights

SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron © Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros.

Sonic the Hedgehog © SEGA

Mighty Mouse © 20th Century FOX, Terrytoons, CBS, Filmation, Viacom, Bakshi Animation, and everyone else who owns the rights

Leo the Patriotic Lion, the Hijackers, the Bengal 9, J.R. and the Rebels, and David Satterfield and his Wolfpack © me


End file.
